Stanford football: Thoughts on Luck and Harbaugh plus news and notes

Wrote this at 2 p.m. (PST) and planned to get it posted before the game, but we had massive blog problems today that required hours of “emergency maintenance.”

I’m here at the Orange Bowl, which is really Sun Life Stadium – the old Orange Bowl was razed a few years ago – and we’re a few hours from kickoff.

Let’s get to it, starting with the most immediate issues:

*** I asked Jim Harbaugh on Sunday if everyone was healthy, eligible and in good standing (ie: not suspended for shenanigans).

He answered yes across the board, so Stanford should have its full roster available from the start.

*** That’s not to say that everyone is 100 percent healthy. Receiver Chris Owusu said he will play but did not appear to be at top speed at Saturday’s workout (the final practice open to the media).

I can’t help but wonder what, if any impact Owusu’s injuries will have on his future. The junior has NFL speed and is on all the draft boards, and I’ve heard he’s thinking about turning pro.

Will the injuries hurt his stock and force him to return to school, or spur him to leave (if he’s confident of being healthy enough to run a top-end 40 by March)?

I asked Owusu if he planned to make a decision on his future in the next few weeks, or if he had already decided to return to school.

“All I’m thinking about right now is the game,’’ he said.

A solid non-answer.

*** According to numerous sources, Andrew Luck continues to give every indication that he will return to Stanford next season.

That doesn’t mean he will, of course, and when the reality of Jim Harbaugh leaving Stanford sets in (presumably this week), Luck could change his thinking.

But the fact that he’s inclined to stay in school at this point increases the chances of him doing just that – and that’s not something you’d expect from a projected No. 1 pick.

He’s a third-year student who wants his degree and loves college and is not wide-eyed about the NFL and being the first pick.

Each time he’s asked about the NFL – and when I asked his father, Oliver about it – the answer always includes the word “lifestyle.”

It’s a “lifestyle” decision.”

It’s not a financial decision from the standpoint of his family needing money to put food on the table, and the Lucks don’t strike me as a family that will race to get Andrew’s clock started for free agency at the expense of personal happiness.

(There’s also the matter of whether we’ll have an NFL season in 2011.)

Nor is it a competitive decision. I don’t get the sense that Luck believes another year could hurt his draft value – he’s better than Jake Locker and he knows it.

As for the potential for injury, Sam Bradford showed that issue is overrated.

What about Harbaugh’s future? Luck was asked about it the other day: “At the end of the day, he’s got to do what’s best for him and I’ve got to do what’s best for me. But it probably will be a factor.”

A factor, yes.

The decisive factor? I’m not sure.

*** Here are the Hotline official projections for Jim Harbaugh’s future.

Stanford 1% (because you never say never).

NFL: 34%

Michigan: 65%

My sources believe Harbaugh wants to take the Michigan gig and then, after 5-6-7 years in Ann Arbor, head off the NFL. (He’s certainly young enough to do both.)

Yes, the Denver situation is intriguing because of the John Elway-Stanford connection. And he has a connection with the Dolphins owner, who went to Michigan.

But if Harbaugh goes the NFL route, I’ve been told his preference would be the NFC, so he could face his brother, John (Baltimore), in the Super Bowl.

That leaves the 49ers and maybe Carolina. There are reasons for him to take both.

Which is why the above forecast doesn’t say Michigan: 99%.

*** With each day, I grow more perplexed by Stanford athletic director Bob Bowlsby’s comment (Dec. 5) that Harbaugh “indicated” he planned to sign the new deal Stanford presented.

Either Harbaugh mislead Bowlsby … or Bowlsby was hoping and praying … or he badly misread the situation – the way he badly misread the Trent Johnson situation.

The good thing for Stanford football is that:

Bowlsby has had plenty of time to get his short list together., 2) he has proven he can identify a good coach and 3) because of Harbaugh’s success and the university’s newfound commitment to football – which takes multiple forms, including the head coach’s salary – the pool of candidates will be much, much, much bigger than it was four years ago.

*** Wrote this at 2 p.m. (PST) and planned to get it posted before the game, but we had massive blog problems today that required hours of “emergency maintenance.” By the time the blogs were up and running, I was deep into covering the Orange Bowl and am now just getting around to posting it …

I’m here at the Orange Bowl, which is really Sun Life Stadium – the old Orange Bowl has been demolished – and we’re a few hours from kickoff.

Let’s get to it, starting with the most immediate issues:

*** I asked Jim Harbaugh on Sunday if everyone was healthy, eligible and in good standing (ie: not suspended for shenanigans). He answered yes across the board, so Stanford should have its full roster available from the start.

*** That’s not to say that everyone is 100 percent healthy. Receiver Chris Owusu said he will play but did not appear to be at top speed at Saturday’s workout (the final practice open to the media).

I can’t help but wonder what, if any impact Owusu’s injuries will have on his future. The junior has NFL speed and is on all the draft boards, and I’ve heard he’s thinking about turning pro.

Will the injuries hurt his stock and force him to return to school, or spur him to leave (if he’s confident of being healthy enough to run a top-end 40 by March)?

I asked Owusu if he planned to make a decision on his future in the next few weeks, or if he had already decided to return to school.

“All I’m thinking about right now is the game,’’ he said.

A solid non-answer.

*** According to numerous sources, Andrew Luck continues to give every indication that he will return to Stanford next season.

That doesn’t mean he will, of course, and when the reality of Jim Harbaugh leaving (presumably this week) takes hold, Luck could change his thinking.

But the fact that he’s inclined to stay in school at this point increases the chances of him doing just that – and that’s not something you’d expect from a projected No. 1 pick.

He’s a third-year student who wants his degree and loves college and is not wide-eyed about the NFL and being the first pick.

Each time he’s asked about the NFL – and when I asked his father, Oliver about it – the answer always includes the word “lifestyle.”

It’s a “lifestyle” decision.”

It’s not a financial decision from the standpoint of his family needing money to put food on the table, and the Lucks don’t strike me as a family that will race to get Andrew’s clock started for free agency at the expense of personal happiness.

(There’s also the matter of whether we’ll have an NFL season in 2011.)

Nor is it a competitive decision. I don’t get the sense that Luck believes another year could hurt his draft value – he’s better than Jake Locker and he knows it.

As for the potential for injury, Sam Bradford showed that issue is overrated.

What about Harbaugh’s future? Luck was asked about it the other day: “At the end of the day, he’s got to do what’s best for him and I’ve got to do what’s best for me. But it probably will be a factor.”

A factor, yes.

The decisive factor? I’m not sure.

*** Here are the Hotline official projections for Jim Harbaugh’s future.

Stanford 1% (because you never say never).

NFL: 34%

Michigan: 65%

My sources believe Harbaugh wants to take the Michigan gig and then, after 5-6-7 years in Ann Arbor, head off the NFL. (He’s certainly young enough to do both.)

Yes, the Denver situation is intriguing because of the John Elway-Stanford connection. And he has a connection with the Dolphins owner, who went to Michigan.

But if Harbaugh goes the NFL route, I’ve been told his preference would be the NFC, so he could face his brother, John (Baltimore), in the Super Bowl.

That leaves the 49ers and maybe Carolina. There are reasons for him to take both.

Which is why the above forecast doesn’t say Michigan: 99%.

*** With each day, I grow more perplexed by Stanford athletic director Bob Bowlsby’s comment (Dec. 5) that Harbaugh “indicated” he planned to sign the new deal Stanford presented.

Either Harbaugh mislead Bowlsby … or Bowlsby was hoping and praying … or he badly misread the situation – the way he badly misread the Trent Johnson situation.

The good thing for Stanford football is that:

1. Bowlsby has had plenty of time to get his short list together.

2. Bowlsby has proven he can identify a good football coach, and

3. Because of Harbaugh’s success and the university’s newfound commitment to football – which takes multiple forms, including the head coach’s salary – the pool of candidates will be much, much, much bigger than it was four years ago.

Stanford’s future fortunes for the 2011 football season began to shine when future all-pro QB Andrew Luck announced, a week after his team’s victory in the Orange Bowl, his desire to return to complete some unfinished football business. Then, shortly thereafter, with the future shining, the stars shining, the sun parting the winter clouds and the cosmos aligning for a zenith in Stanford football, Coach Jim Harbaugh surprised everyone and made his decision to make football history, not just read it, and stay on the Farm, for at least one more season creating the most dynamic duo in college coaching : “Admireable” Hardball + ”1st Mate” Fangio sailing the Cardinal to the ’ship.

At Spring and Fall pre-season practices it soon became clear that a tradition was being born (in honor of Harbawe’s newborn ?). The year started out with much talk of the need to *rebuild* the O-Line, hit hard by the graduation of 4 of the top 7 linemen from the previous great year. (The linemen who opened d’gaping holes in da’ hokie d ). i mean the loss of Beeler, Phillips, Hall and McGillicuddy was gaping ):
Ultimately, it was former reserves Tyler Mabry and Kahlil Wilkes who stepped up, along with future TW Union leaders Kevin Danser and Dillon Bonnell, joining with returning starters David “the dominant” DeCastro, and Jonathan “stallwartin’” Martin, along with several other young and upcoming future stars, helping the O-Line *reload*.
Wilkerson, Taylor and Gaffney collectively had a monster year at RB, with Wilkerson running wild for just under 1,500 yds and Taylor joining him with over 1,000 for the 2nd straight year. Overall, adding in Luck’s mercurial scrambles, the Cardinal almost reached 4,000 rushing yards for the season !

(Did you see Tyler Gaffney’s run at the end of the 3rd qtr in the OB !?!)

The already powerful offense was awe-gmented by Luck’s awesome, Peyton Manning-like ability to read defenses and his amazingly efficient passing. Owusu returned for a full, healthy year to blossom as an explosive deep threat, which was complemented by the emergence of Patterson, Toilolo, and Ertz, along with the steady creative consistancy of TE “the other” Coby Fleener flooding n blasting n jumping thru mid-range defensive zones with quality routes and key possession receptions ending up in “the other” zone.

But, when all is said and done, it was the maturation of a highly ranked, top 10 Defense, especially the nationally acclaimed LB’s : Chase the QB Thomas, Thomas “the demiser” Keiser, and Shayne “the national diskovery” Skov, plus oncoming Gardner and newcomers Tarpley and Vaughters who consistently week after week, shut down opposing offenses in the offense-minded, inaugural year of the PAC-12, like they shut down VT on the first Monday Nite Football of the new year.
Even while missing Sherman and Skaufel, DBs Thomas, Howell, Carrington, Bademosi and Browning stifled opposing air attacks surpassing last year’s interception totals, reaching nearly 30 in 2011; and even without Sione “the huge” Fua and Brian “bullwark” Bulke, the DL, Masofilo, Stephens, Plantaric, Lueders, Gowan and Mauro were not on the “Down-Low” at all, but often took over the game, applying withering pressure on opposing QBs, or shedding blocks and shutting down opposing RBs, forming the essential, solid first line of Defense, that led directly to Stanford’s phenomenal, first ever, 14-win season, and the National Championship trophy….:

So who is on bowlsby’s short list??
The press all say that the question regarding stanford is where harbs is going next.
Not really – the question for Stanford is who will replace him, yet there is pretty much nothing in the press about this.
How ’bout fangio?

tk94111

Just got back to my hotel room at the Fontainbleu after the after-game alumni party. Wow. What a day. The game was fantastic. The fans were terrific. Shane Skov was ON FIRE. After a weird first half it was the classic Stanford playbook and the Hokies had no answer.

Then we got back to the hotel. At the alumni party, Jerry Yang wandered about with a drink in hand. John Elway and John Lynch chatting and answering questions signing autographs for kids.

I am so glad I made this trip, and got to enjoy it with my sister and my roommates from college.

rioryon

Fullback to the Future

PS – Marecic’s jersey #48 was retired to the Stanford Hall of Eternal Heart (Harbaugh’s offense) and Flame (Fangio’s defense), and in honor of the feeling by the whole team that he was there on the field at every game, at least in spirit, on the voyage to the ‘ship.

Boston Card

The only person that has ever spoken on record about Jim Harbaugh’s future is his brother John.

And here’s what he had to say: “I don’t want to speak for him, but I think there’s a chance he’ll stay at Stanford. I think there’s a good chance he’ll stay there. I don’t know that for a fact, but I know this: He loves those players. He loves them, and he loves the university. So I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he stayed at Stanford. That’s not to say that I think he’s staying there because I don’t know, but I wouldn’t be surprised.”

Now, that doesn’t mean anything… all of the above could be actually true and Harbaugh could leave. But it hardly sounds like the sort of language that someone would use if their brother had all but decided he was gone. That “1%” is just you covering your arse in case you are wrong. Listen, it’s not that I don’t trust your “sources”, but it is really difficult to know how credible those sources are. Just today we heard some blog post that sources had told him that talks between Harbaugh and Michigan had broken down and that he was a sure thing to the 49ers… only to later retract (or be specifically contradicted).

I’d take a brother who speaks on the record over anyone’s anonymous source any day.

http://blog.gotcup.com uahal

Is Luck better than Elway was as a collegian?

Watching him last night, it’s hard for me to imagine that he’s not. He’s just so polished and proficient at all the little things:

– His passes are dead accurate
– His pre-snap decision making is excellent
– His in-play decision making is outstanding
– Kid can run, too

Thinking back to Elway as a collegian, he was certainly great but he struck me as more of a (loose) cannon arm with a ton of bravado, while Luck wears his cool killer persona with ease.

What do you Stanfordians think?

JUGS

Early rumor in NYC is Luck is staying and harbaugh is headed to the Niners.

tk94111

uahal,

The one pass that typifies how Luck is different (better?) than Elway is the pass he had rolling out to his left, a touch pass over the head of the defender into Fleener’s hands in the 3rd quarter. Elway threw balls through people, Luck has better touch.

Having said that, Elway is still the man at Stanford, along with Plunkett. Although I think we know the answer, time will tell with Luck.

Sacramento Blue

Congratulations to the Cardinal. They played a great game and represented the Pac-10 very very well.

Of course, one would expect them to play well. It was a virtual home game. Did you see all the empty seats in the Orange Bowl?

FarmSkeptic

I’ll probably be accused of heresy, but here goes…

I’ve heard some people say things along the lines of “Harbaugh is overrated. Luck and Gerhart made him look better than he really is.” I actually think the reverse is true. I’m not saying that Luck isn’t a really good QB, but Harbaugh has shown he can get a “schematic advantage” and his run first approach really opens up the passing. The first TD was a great pass by Luck to Ertz. The three others were passes 1/4 of the NCAA starting QBs could have made. I mean, was anyone even covering Coby Fleener on those plays?

Clearly there’s a big drop off in the offense performance when Luck steps to the sideline, and he’s a great QB. But the kid is far from perfect. That almost interception is typical of what we’ve seen all year with Luck, 1-2 really bad decisions a game that we’ve been really lucky didn’t bite the team in the butt. Returning for another year, especially if Harbaugh is coach, will be an opportunity to polish his game and set himself up for greater success. That’s not reason enough to return, if you’re the consensus #1 and you feel a passion to go pro, but it is an opportunity.

DuckNelson

Is anybody still talking about Jake Locker? He may have actually done himself a favor by having a very mediocre year and then coming back and playing well against Nebraska. That way he will be a 2nd or 3rd round draft pick and will not be forced to start on a poor team.

Luck looked great last night. It was fun to watch Stanford play some serious Stanford football on a Monday night. Andrew even had a good interview after the game. Congrats to the Cardinal.

I personally doubt if Luck or Harbaugh come back. Harbaugh is going to bail for either Michigan or the 9ers, and Luck will see the writing on the wall. Carolina has some decent potential if they get the QB thing fixed, and it beats being stuck in Cleveland or Buffalo in 2012.

Leftcoast

If I were a Calfan I’d be careful about ripping Stanford for light crowds. That’s a cycle that just might turn too.

Telrod

I respectfully submit that the Most Valuable Player last night was Skov. He repeatedly fired through the line like an Artillery Shell, either tackling or exploding in the face of a talented but hapless VT QB. He’s an enormous natural talent but he’s been coached all the way down to his socks by someone expert in lighting fuses and standing back. The Stanford Program is now the equivalent to group of 1st Recon Marines….How in the hell can you walk away from that?????

To the Pros? Give me a break. Everyone knows the NFL is corrupt to the core and ruled by a pack of infantile Oligarchs. For a Few Dollars More you can check your soul with the Harvurd lawyerds and your integrity at the door. What’s wrong with the Farm? On the plus side you are GUARANTEED men who understand your ideas and who will support you creatively. Football is a much brains as brawn. On the minus side these guys will be hard to find, but once you do, they’re yours forever. Woody Hayes stayed at Ohio State for 27 years–just long enough to make his mark.

WolverineMusings

@ rioryon – why is your dream a fantasy ? If Michigan can fall so far, why can’t Stanford rise so high ? It all depends on one thing – the character of your coach and the legacy he wants to leave for others. Why am I certain that Stanford could be that good ? The institution has a national reputation like no other, providing an expereince every parent would love to have his child attain. Now you need to keep the coach that wants to make the son, and not just the parent, attend Stanford. Jim Harbaugh has great character and is that man. He was taught by Bo that to achieve greatness it is not about the individual. I knew Bo in his prime and watched what he accomplished at Michigan. Just look at the number of coaching disciples that are at the top of this sport. Many of these men would have been great leaders in business, government or academics … yet they chose to coach football. Why ? For the team. For the rewarding experience of teaching boys of great promise to be men of great character. Football attracts these types and Bo taught them to bring out the best with what they had. And often the team accomplished way more than their raw indiviudal talents would have allowed … and deep in their hearts they know why. Each and everyone of them understands the mantra … its the Team, its the Team, its the Team. Stanford has found its man to lead its Team and true Wolverines are very jealous.

Sacramento Blue

@ Lefty… good point. I expect to be able to spead out my picnic when Cal returns to Memorial in 2012 just like in the bad old days.

T-Dogg

Harbaugh leaves, Luck Stays, Fangio, although he has no HC experience, becomes the Head Coach and Shaw is retained as Offensive Coordinator. Fangio is the obvious choice…Stanford will be tough defensively and that will bleed over to the offense. Besides, don’t you think that Fangio knows that Harbaugh will be leaving? Why else would he leave the NFL but to get a good shot at becoming a HC?

Bootlegger

It is unclear to me why Harbaugh would want to go to Michigan. He knows he can recruit at Stanford, so he will continue to have winning teams here. It appears that the alumni money has been forthcoming so the salary differential is not that great. At Stanford he has a program with momentum and a pipeline of smart, talented players. At Michigan, not so much. I understand that there is the lure of playing at one’s alma mater, but I have difficulty believing the emotional draw is that strong. Much more likely that he would go the NFL — but even then I think he will wait for the right situation (sorry 49er fans).

FarmSkeptic

@Telrod – well spoken on all points. I agree with Skov for MVP. Stanford sacked Taylor 8 freakin’ times! (pretty amazing he still came away with positive rushing yards.) The defense was dominant and Skov set the tone for the game. Harbaugh did the right thing in stepping away from the mic so Tafoya had to give Skov some face time (she was so hoping to cozy up to Harbuagh and Luck and get some juicy morsels.)

If Ted Miller is right and it’s now between Stanford and the NFL, I think there’s a decent chance he sits down with Luck and says, one more year. Let’s get that Pac12 championship, Heisman, NCG… The NFL, and the money, will always be there.

Tom Hansen

The Bay Area media people are so freaking pathetic. Ratto, Purdy, Wilner, all of them always find any reason possible to go with the national media groupthink when it comes to all things college sports, particularly football.

Ratto might as well have been Mark May as he suggested “there is no reason for Harbaugh to stay at Stanford.” Look, he may leave, but there are plenty of reasons for him to stay. And the fact the Bay Area media lemmings can’t even muster up the knowledge of the situation in their own backyard, to come up for some reasons he might stay, is frankly pathetic.

Show, if not some local pride, then at least some ability to think independently. I’ll give you a couple places to start:

* Be a legend by creating his own program from nothing and winning at the highest level with higher standards than anyone else.

* Not a pressure cooker at Stanford like other places, but as a fierce competitor, Harbaugh has an internal locus of control that pushes him to win above all else; a stark contrast to Jeff Tedford, for example.

OK, those are two assets only Stanford can offer Harbaugh ever. I’ll leave it to our intrepid Bay Area media to figure out others if they can stop following the herd long enough to realize there is a different possible path for them to take to the possible answer.

discdude

Well played Stanford.

I think Harbaugh’s situation is no different than Tedford 2004. But, the microscope of media and the BCS is so much bigger now than it was then, people are not noticing that both years are almost exact mirrors of each other, 11-1 with losses to the potential national champion (it’s probably a bit more difficult to achieve what Stanford has done than at Cal, if only because of the academic admissions). Taking all that into consideration, we really don’t know (yet) if Harbaugh is fortunate to have Luck in the same way that it’s becoming readily apparent that Tedford was fortunate to have Rodgers. Remember, people were gushing over Tedford in the same way they are gushing over Harbaugh. Given how things are now going for Tedford, my bet is Harbaugh’s gone. Turning a team around is one thing, sustaining it is something completely different. History doesn’t lie, both Cal and Stanford have had short cycles of competitiveness over the last 30 to 40 years, but neither school has ever been able to sustain it, from Plunkett to Bartkowski, from Walsh to Snyder, from Willingham to Tedford, it just doesn’t happen in a conference with USC, UCLA, and UW.

Given the history, without considering where he might land, I say he’s gone.

Deputy Duck

Nice win Stanford, it makes our star shine that much brighter. Also…if Harbaugh doesn’t run off and hide in the pros, we’ll be waiting in the Fall for Round 2.

stanfordfan

1% chance that Harbaugh will remain at Stanford?. And this is based on sports journalists and bloggers, not based on any input whatsoever from Harbaugh… Until Harbaugh speaks, there is a 50% chance that he remains at Stanford, and there are plenty of good reasons to support his decision to stay.

Rest assured Stanford fans, my heart is at Stanford until I decide otherwise.

Boston Card

“the way he badly misread the Trent Johnson situation.”

That assumes that Bowlsby wanted to keep Johnson. I am not convinced this is true. I don’t think he felt like Johnson had done anything to deserve being fired, but neither had he done anything to deserve a contract extension. So, leaving him an opportunity to find a new job elsewhere seems just about right. And nothing about Trent Johnson’s tenure at LSU shows that he is definitely a great or a poor coach (he had one great season and one bad season).

Deputy Duck

We’ll be waiting FarmSkeptic. Having two of the best Coaches in the Nation is very good for the Pac-10, and gives the fans a “Duel in the Sun”.

stanfordfaninseattle

#13 was 100% dead on. Skov played like a man possessed, defending both the run and the pass beautifully. I wish Skov had gotten it, but they had to follow the ESPN script and give it to Luck (who also played well).

I had the good fortune to be in Miami last night, one of the best sports moments of my life.

If Luck and Harbaugh do move on (and I think they will), I just want to say thanks for a great couple years.

http://cardhonk7 Art Wild

As a Stanford fan for 78 years, I’m happy to conclude that with its demolition of Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl, the 2010-11 football team is the greatest in the history of the university.

I was a 6-year old growing up near Stanford Stadium in 1932 when I caught the booster bug from my Dad. I was present at the creation of the legendary Vow Boys who never lost to USC and went to three consecutive Rose Bowls. I have been a passionate rooter ever since. I learned all about Pop Warner’s undefeated team of 1926 — fittingly enough the year I was born. But this Harbaugh/Luck Fangio team tops them all.

There were all too many lean years, but every decade produced at least one great team Pop Warner and Ernie Nevers in the 1920s, the Vow Boys with Grayson, Alustiza, Moscrip and Hamilton in the ’30s, the undefeated Wow Boys of Albert, Kmetovic, Gallarneau and Standlee in 1940, when Clark Shaughnessy brought the T-formation to college football.

The 1950s saw the Now Boys of Chuck Taylor, with Kerkorian and Hugasian. In 1968 Jim Plunkett became quarterback and would lead Stanford to the unforgettable 1971 Rose Bowl victory over Woody Hayes and Ohio State.

The next year it was Don Bunce’s turn to lead the last-second upset of Michigan at Pasadena. Later in the 1970s Bill Walsh’s teams won memorable bowl games. In the 1980s we saw the brilliance of John Elway, one of the greatest college and pro quarterbacks. The 1990s saw Bill Walsh’s great victory over Joe Paterno in the Blockbuster Bowl, and Willingham’s Rose Bowl team that narrowly lost to Wisconsin.

The most appealing of all the teams to me are Frankie Albert’s of 1940 and Plunkett’s of 1970. But for all of its rich history, Stanford has produced its greatest team in 2010-11.

The blowouts in its final games prove that Fangio has taught the defense how to squelch elusive quarterbacks and running backs. Stanford would win a rematch with Oregon, and would beat Auburn by at least two touchdowns.

Art Wild
Long Beach

rioryon

College Football History, Jan. 12, 2011

On a cold winter day, with a hearty message to relay, Jim “Hardball’ Harbawe spoke at the press conference on Stanford Campus, called to announce his intentions. The media was thronging and buzzing, eager for a banquet of copy….:

“Me and the team are taking the coach to the ‘ship. I love this team.”

“Period.”

“Questions ?”

As the news shot like a tsunami in many waves across the land, somewhere in a distant and verdant valley north, a small flock of glamorous but wary wood duck, shuddered…feeling the storm coming, they ruffle the kaleidoscope of their feathers against the frigid, pelting rains…..

What an incredible year it has been for Stanford football. Next year may not be as magical, but I think we will be one of the elite PAC 12 teams. The O line will be effective despite the graduation of three terrific players.

I am really tired of the speculation in the Luck Harbaugh sweepstakes. I have posted in the past that both will be back when the sentiment was and continues to be Luck will “take the money and run” and that he’s be a fool not to. Really?

And Harbaugh has some goals to aspire to like a conference championship and a national championship. I don’t see his coaching style working well in the NFL. Shades of Mike Montgomery.

Leftcoast

A 78 year old fan!?! Wow.

It’s not often you hear from someone who saw the Vow, Wow and Now boys play and can compare the QB play of Albert, Plunkett, Elway and Luck from first hand observation.

Thanks for sharing your observations with this 30 year fan.

Andrew

“sources believe Harbaugh wants to take the Michigan gig”

Ah yes, the same wishful thinking sources that have made Detroit the success that it is.

Congrats on only being 65% wrong.

rioryon

@ Donald Q : Good luck next Monday, Duck, cuz after that, your luck runs out and our Luck runs you over til you pass out…and pray now, cuz on November 12th, 2011, in Palo Alto, you won’t have a prayer…

Ranger John

@Art, you maybe right. I only remember from the 60’s on but Plunkett and Bunce were fine times (I do think they lost to SJS?) I know that Elway lost twice to his dad’s teams.

As for this team: Skov was amazing; Luck was solid; Marecic to me was EXCEPTIONAL for his entire career. He made Toby Gerhardt. The receivers played possessed. Any running back could have run through those holes!!!

I can not remember a Stanford game in which they played better than that 2nd half. (I was a Palo Alto resident 1960 before moving to Los Altos.)

DK Brown

#30: I completely agree – I could definitely be wrong but I think Harbaugh is made up to be a college coach. I think his antics and enthusiasm work great with 18 to 22 year olds but I am not sure how they’d fire up a team of millionaires (Singletary comes to mind). And while I do not think he will stay at Stanford, hard to imagine a better place for him – he is built a national program and while many of us want it to stay on top, consecutive years at .500 won’t cause his job to be in jeopardy as it would at a UofM (I think this is why Few won’t leave Gonzaga – no reason to up the ante in a greater pressure cooker where the margin of error is much smaller).

As for Luck, I agree with the comments that address the money – I don’t think his family is hurting and the money will be there. While Jake Locker hurt his draft stock, this year probably has in the right place (2d/3d round) while he accomplished something for his school. Luck’s dollars will still be there (more Bradford than Locker) and he does have the chance to do something even more special – a conference (or even national) championship, Heisman Trophy. And still be #1 in the draft w/o a labor situation that is not in flux.

Finally – I am actually not a huge fan of all of Harbaugh’s “act” but I applaud him for blowing off the ESPN folks when they asked him about his future – throughout the season, he has done what he could to skirt the postgame mic and get it to his players. Last night was really consistent in that regard and may have only been a surprise to those national folks who have not watched Stanford this year. Good for him.

L. Stanford Jr.

Hey Harbaugh,
I think you’ll get more longterm satisfaction by sticking with the Cardinal and finishing what you’ve begun. You’ll be faced with the same decision in the future. Now is special. Stay at Stanford, urge Luck to stay and go for all the beans next season. Please don’t rush your announcement but sooner would be better as we’re all sick of listening to the ESPN blowhards. Just look yourself in the mirror and make the choice to follow through. It’s the right choice.

Harold

Andrew Luck is a much better college quarterback than John Elway was. He reads defenses better and runs better. While Elway had a stronger arm — truly, a cannon — Luck has a far, far better touch with the ball. Elway’s bazooka throws were often difficult for his receivers to hang onto — at least suffered a broken finger making a catch. That sounds awesome when you’re talking about it at the bar, but it’s a drawback to your offense.

Elway had a terrific NFL career and it may be that 20 years from now we’ll look back and say he was the better of the two. But in terms of the way they played at Stanford, I’d take Luck over Elway in a heartbeat.

Ranger John

As the Santa Rosa Press Democrat made note today: “Harbaugh is a close friend of Al Davis” and a former assistant there. He is IN.

Better fit offensively than the west coast offense of the Niners. Niners are really slick in their in house hire for GM….what a lie….they will continue to slide…and slide…until they get an offensive guru…

Ranger John

@Hansen (Ratto and Mark May in the same breath) I LIKE IT!!! May is the ultimate winner, uh I mean WHINNER. Ratto just squirms in his high horse chair as he pontificates to Gregg Pappa.

Both know it alls that really no little or nothing.

Now getting to Harbaugh. His going to the Raiders….LIKES MR DAVIS, worked for him, has that edginess (the triple line shift…come on), not quite the 2 point conversion vs SC but close.

The 49ers will try but they don’t have the connections and Harbaugh doesn’t want to take orders from a kid whom never even played flag football.

Seriously, Great job, 9ers! Hopefully Stanford will make a good hire themselves and keep their momentum.

rioryon

@#14, WolverineMusings — That’s why. But it was fun while it lasted.

rioryon

Dear Mr Art Wild,

i love reading #28 in this blog sequence…

Please send us more as the spirit moves you…

Anything…

…personally, i’d love to hear more about what you remember from the 1940 season when you were 14yo or so ? My dad was a young 17yo pre-med soph soon to be medic captain, then MD in the newly invented field of radiology. As a little kid a decade later, i used to pour over his year books… the sports sections, especially football… the pictures… the play-by-play diagrams of those 10 unbeaten games in 1940 culminating with the Rose Bowl victory over midwest powerhouse Nebraska…

When i was about 3 or 4 i heard my first game on the radio, around 1949-1951, not sure exactly, an old wooden model radio, with one of those red and white Indian decals stuck on it, remember those ? — the single feather, the tomahawk, the loin cloth… Mid 50’s i saw Jack Douglas lead an underdog squad over the Trojans in LA, and then John Brodie’s great passing, and once met All American center Chuck Steele at a restaurant inn in Little River, Mendocino – i was so excited i had to excuse myself and go to our room cuz i thought i was going to throw up…and i went to a Stanford football camp in 1959-1960 or so, Pete Kmetovic was there coaching us ! …he seemed so much older than in the yearbook pics, i remember the contrast startled and fascinated me…

Thanks again, we’re always eager for more stories, tim

http://cardhonk7 Art Wild

@ rioryon

Dear Tim,

Thanks for encouraging this longtime fan to write more on his favorite subject, Stanford football. I appreciate your comments.

The 1940 season, when your dad was a young pre-med student, was especially exciting to me. I was a soph at Piedmont High and a classmate’s father, the Alameda County Coroner, drove us to Stanford Stadium for several of the games. The most notable, as I recounted in a previous blog, was the landmark game against Howard Jones and his Thundering Herd at USC. The Trojans had a 17-game winning streak and were favored. It was the fifth game of the season and Stanford had to beat them to keep on the inside track to the Rose Bowl.

With about four minutes to go, Stanford was on its own 20 in a 7-7 tie. To the astonished horror of many in the stands,who would have been happy with a tie, the irrepressible QB Frankie Albert launched a passing attack despite two earlier interceptions. His 20-yard passes took Stanford to the USC 4.

The moment was electric and my Piedmont pal and I joined dozens of others in pouring out of the stands to the sideline. We were just a few yards from fullback Norm Standlee when he plowed through the line to a touchdown with virtually all the USC team on his back. I can still hear the CRACK-SMASH-POP of pads and helmets as he crossed the goal line.

Trailing 14-7 with time running out, USC tried a desperation pass from its end zone. Albert intercepted it and ran it in for the 21-7 win.

The year 1940 was an historic year not just for Stanford but for all of the country. Coach Clark Shaughnessy introduced the T-formation to college football with his “Wow Boys,” and a story about Stanford’s first game against the heavily favored U. of San Francisco shows how revolutionary
his new system was.

Fred Merrick of the San Jose Mercury says in his 1975 book “Down on the Farm” that doubleheaders were common as season-openers in those days and Mac Speedie of Utah, later to become a star receiver with the Cleveland Browns, was in the shower after playing in the first game against Santa Clara at Kezar Stadium.

As Merrick tells it, ” One of his teammates who had dressed in a hurry came rushing into the locker room and said, “Hey, get out here. There’s the dangdest formation going on out there you’ve ever seen.’ ” Other accounts say he also exclaimed, “Nobody knows who has the ball!”

The season reached its high point with the famous Rose Bowl victory over Nebraska, 21-13. Pete Kmetovic, with his zig-zag punt return for the clinching touchdown, was the game’s MVP.

As a Southern California area football scout for Stanford under Cactus Jack Curtice in the bad old days of the early ’60s, I had a great chat with Pete at a dinner in Long Beach. A very gracious, unassuming gentleman and one of my all-time heroes (While walking up the hill after the upset over USC, Pete stopped despite a bloody, broken nose and autographed the sweaty programs my Piedmont pal and I were clutching.)

Thanks again, Tim, for your comments and for sharing your interesting background. (This is getting too lengthy. Maybe in another blog, if anyone cares by this time, I’ll explain why this diehard Stanford fan is a 1948 Cal grad.)